Salaam Network Inc

September 5, 2024

I have been related to The Salaam Network (TSN) and its founder, Dr. Riffat Hassan, for almost eight years. Dr. Hassan is passionate about helping Louisville to become a city of compassion. I have had the opportunity to teach with Dr. Hassan on several occasions.

The Salaam Network is a group of interfaith educators, peacemakers, justice activists, and interested citizens who are committed to promoting greater understanding and wholeness in the city of Louisville and southern Indiana. The purpose is to make Louisville and the surrounding areas more understanding and compassionate in receiving the "other." The TSN programs help overcome prejudice and discrimination in Louisville and the surrounding communities.

The Salaam Network provides a wonderful opportunity for engagement on important social and religious matters.

Sincerely,

Sister Kathryn Huber, OSB

Sister Kathryn Huber, OSB
Sisters of St. Benedict
802 E. 10th St.
Ferdinand, IN 47532

Dr. Riffat Hassan and the Salaam Network have been providing me with invaluable learning opportunities. They invited me to join in a book study of Dr. Khalidi's One Hundred Years of War on Palestine. They are an incredible brain trust and the scholars are kind and patient with this new learner in this area of study. I am so grateful to have had and to be able to continue studying this and beginning to understand how we are in this moment. I

Testimonial for The Salaam Network of Louisville

During these troubled times internationally and with a divisive presidential campaign underway for months, The Salaam (Peace) Network has presented numerous Zoom programs to an audience from around the world. The Interfaith perspective has encouraged participation from a wide audience. Our focus on scholarly books has ensured deep study and rich, civil discussions. With generous donors to the Give for Good program, we can continue offering high quality, timely presentations and offer some free books to active participants.

I offer the testimonial from our Executive Director, Dr. Riffat Hassan below as further evidence of our continuing accomplishments:

Since its beginning in 2016, TSN has presented more than 150 programs (in-person and virtual), free of cost, at a variety of venues. Due to the scholarly merit and integrity of its programs, it has become a leading education network in Louisville. It has had the honor of getting the Better Business Bureau Accreditation (2021), the GUIDESTAR SILVER TRANSPARENCY AWARD (2021), and the TOP-RATED Award from GREATNONPROFITS.org for four consecutive years (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023).
During the time of the coronavirus pandemic when in-person programs could not be held, TSN undertook new educational initiatives conducted via zoom meetings. Amongst them was the setting up of a monthly Interfaith Group for the Study of Important Books related to Islam, interaction amongst Abrahamic religions, and other subjects of contemporary significance. The monthly meetings of the Interfaith Group which began in September 2020 continue to date.
To give you a comprehensive view of TSN’s work and its significance during the past year, I would like to share with you a recent account written by Rev. Dr. Joseph Brennan, Ph. D., M. Div., M.S.W., TSN’s Scholar-in-Residence who states: “Since its creation, The Salaam Network has been an outstanding proponent of community education and understanding not only in Kentucky, but also in the much wider areas of its national and global outreach. This past year has not been an exception. TSN’s Board of Trustees as well as its members have made outstanding contributions toward fostering a knowledge-based and open-minded reflection on the meaning of the Palestinian-Zionist conflict that has hampered the possibility of world peace for over a century.

As in past years, Dr. Dennis Neyman, TSN Director and Community Outreach Coordinator, presented a special session to the Internationa Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly in which he offered peaceful alternatives to resolving international conflicts. His presentation was well-received by fifty participants who were interested in discovering such alternatives. Dr. Neyman also serves as the Kentucky representative of the US Peace Memorial Foundation promotes alternatives to war.

Over the course of the year, TSN membership has engaged in a review of the classic work entitled “The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine,” by Dr. Rashid Khalidi, the most eminent historian of the Middle East. As part of these hour and half long sessions, TSN members have provided outlines of different chapters, while discussion on the larger political, cultural, theological and moral aspects of Palestinian history has been ongoing.

TSN also has a very valuable research component. Its lead researchers have dedicated more than three hundred hours of intensive investigation of a broad expanse of the Palestinian-Zionist conflict. This research has produced some ten publications, thirty reviews of relevant videos, countless review of information found in professional journals, including newspapers published in Israel and throughout Europe. This ample source of information was the basis for forty-five articles covering such areas as theology, sociology, philosophy, history, and politics of differing aspects of the conflict, which are available for sharing with interested individuals or groups. In all the articles, both sides of the issue were explored to provide participants with a broad and meaningful understanding of why this conflict has been such a long-term issue of controversy.

TSN’s Scholar-in-Residence has also released a 90-minutes blog to the local community. The presentation covered the issue from Biblical times to the current discourse in the Israeli Knesset. It spoke in detail about international policies and treaties that have governed the politics of Palestine-Israel to this day. The complexity of possible solutions, including the two-state solution, was presented to provide listeners with a more complete understanding of the matter.

This is an outline of the role that TSN has played during this year in a world-community struggling to find accurate information, where such information has been suppressed, or - at the best - very limited. TSN continues to live up to its reputation as a quality education platform which provides the opportunity for equitable and honest interaction amongst those who participate in its in-depth programs. I recommend it highly to anyone with an open mind who is willing to examine all sides of controversial social issues which affect the harmony and peace of the community.”
The services rendered by TSN to the Beloved Community have been made possible through the continuing in-kind support of dedicated professional contributors and volunteer helpers. However, funding is needed to cover TSN’s running expenses and the cost of maintaining and developing its excellent website (https://www.salaamnetwork.org). TSN has no source of income other than the donations it receives from you. We lack the means to hire a fundraising expert and depend entirely on your generosity to meet our basic needs.
I thank you in advance for your support. Since TSN is a registered 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization, your donations are tax-exempt and receipts will be sent to you promptly.
Thanking you for your time and attention,

Riffat Hassan,
Executive Director

Dennis Neyman, Director and Community Outreach Coordinator

I want to place on record my support for the educational work The salaam Network Inc., Louisville, Kentucky, is doing since 2006 with great zeal and spirit. Awareness can be created in the community through proper education only for which TSN is very well equipped - highest calibre scholars are imparting knowledge with devotion and sincerity.

Their Book Club which meets every month generates very lively discussions.

I wish this organization Godspeed.

Mirza Aslam Beg

I am deeply moved by the continued work that the Salaam Network, Inc does. The leadership team is always widening the circle of knowledge, care, concern and ways to combat Islamophobia, and especially in these times, to gain a better understanding of our history, so we learn from it and find others ways to live in a pluralistic society. We don't just read books or have conversations; we study them, challenge ourselves to uncover biases and in the spirit of curiosity and humility, gain a deeper understanding. Sometimes, these conversations are difficult but they are always offered in a spirit of care for all and the advancement of peace.
I'm proud to have been a member of the Salaam Network for over two years now. Its work has found a place in my heart, my mind and my larger understanding.
Kathleen Owens

The Salaam Network has played a vital role within Metropolitan Louisville, Kentucky, in providing excellence in educating about real Islam separate from Western cultural conditioning, religious stereotypes, and media hype.
Through The Salaam Network's wonderful website this information can be accessed throughout the world.

Thank you

The Salaam Network has provided a forum for discussion and education regarding Islam the religion and the people and culture of the countries where Islam is practiced. Discussion of history, teachings and cultural contributions to our societies is important to reduce misunderstanding and conflict as well as to form friendships with people outside our usual circles.

The Salaam Network is a breath of fresh air for those seeking background, context and truth in affairs regarding the Palestinian-Israel conflict, turmoil in the Middle East and the U.S. role in it, and Islamophobia in general. I heartedly endorse the work being done to educate anyone who desires to know more. The Salaam Network, Inc. can certainly be regarded as one of he Great Nonprofits.
Ron Smith

I have been a part of the Salaam Network located in Louisville, KY, for 9 years, since its founding. The Board includes Muslims, Jews, Christians (Protestants and Catholics), Buddists, Unitarians, agnostics. The purpose, originally to immediately address the rise in Islamaphobia, has morphed into consciousness raising of the history of conflict in the Middle East. The extensive book studies have covered topics from Edward Said's "Covering Islam" to Muhammad Jebara's "Muhammad, the World-Changer" to Karen Armstrong's Jerusalem" to Rashid Khalidi's "The Hundred Years' War on Palestine." The TSN outreach into the community has resulted in more than 100 presentations held in libraries, churches, mosques. The Salaam Network is remarkable in its enabling an understanding of present conflicts among the Abrahamic faiths.

I have worked closely with the Salaam Network since its founding. This group has consistently been there when discrimination or hate has shown itself in legislation or in the public arena. Through education and advocacy, the Network is strong and impactful.

I am a relatively new member of this group. I am highly impressed by the dedication of its leaders and the scholarship of its participants. Its activities include book discussions, expert talks, and other zoom events. Interfaith understanding is the main focus of the group. Education and activism are beautifully combined in the group's mission. I highly recommend this group to potential members considering to become involved.
A. Saeed

It has been gratifying to work with The Salaam Network (TSN) toward the goal of promoting unity within the Greater Louisville community through education and outreach. TSN fosters understanding and challenges ignorance, prejudice and animosity toward marginalized faiths and groups. To meet growing concerns about the prevalence of Islamophobia we became members of a core group of educators, clergy and activists representing the three Abrahamic faiths who joined together to develop a series of programs to be presented in religious, educational and secular venues.
During the Covid-19 emergency TSN could not offer its public presentations. However, activities continued on-line with book discussions and partnerships with local congregations. While continuing its on-line book club through which members of all faiths learned more about the founding of Islam and applied that knowledge to a critical discussion of The Satanic Verses, this fall the organization will make in-person presentations making these available in a hybrid mode.
As TSN core members and presenters we have drawn upon our academic backgrounds in sociology and anthropology including focuses on gender, diversity and religion, our extensive international experience as well as our grounding in Judaism, our own religious tradition. We have both learned an immeasurable amount from those we have worked with in TSN. We have become better prepared to work toward wholeness and have seen how effective TSN outreach has been.
Marcia Texler Segal, PhD Professor of Sociology & Dean for Research Emerita, Indiana University Southeast Co-Editor, Advances in Gender Research, Faculty Member Louisville Florence Melton Adult Mini-School
Edwin S. Segal, PhD Professor of Anthropology Emeritus, University of Louisville Faculty Member Louisville Florence Melton Adult Mini-School

I have been associated with the Salaam Network since it was established in 2016. Through lectures, book discussions, and presentations, the Salaam Network (TSN) has done exemplary work in providing the education that is so critical in combatting Islamophobia and other forms of hatred and distrust. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the adoption of Zoom technology for many of these activities has meant that TSN can now reach people far beyond the city of Louisville which was the original focus of its mission. TSN fully deserves the Great Nonprofit Top-Rated Award which it received in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and I sincerely hope that Great Nonprofits again makes the Award for this year, 2023.

Role:General Member of the Public
September 8, 2023
I have been a participant in Salaam Network discussions for few years and am glad to nominate this organization. I am also a member in another non-profit organization in my state for many years. Comparing the two I believe The Salaam Network is far superior in terms of the topics and the quality of discussion. The topics discussed at the Salaam Network are timely, pertinent, relevant, meaningful and educational. The discussions are non-biased and are thoughtful and scholarly rather than at an emotional level. Discussants are respectful of others' perspectives. I sincerely nominate the Salaam Network as one of America's Great Non Profits.
Qaisar Sultana

A Letter of Approval for the Salaam Network
The Salaam Network has achieved notable progress since its earliest creation among religious and civic bodies in the Louisville area. Its presentation to a wide number of participants in varied locations has covered multiple topics in a wide number of venues both in person and in virtual settings. In this way it has achieved the community’s appreciation of Islam while at the same time counteracting the fears and mistrust spread through Islamophobia.
In recent months, TSN has received the support of world renowned scholars who have enhanced the program with their excellent presentations. The participation of such researchers and authors is evidence of the recognition of the program’s role in promoting peace and understanding in a world that has been misled to believe that Islam was an entity focused on a struggle with Western civilization.
Education and dialogue are the instruments whereby followers of major world religions, and even non-believers may come may come to examine previous beliefs and grow in mutual tolerance. Education is the key to meaningful transformation, and it is for this reason that I endorse recent TSN efforts to create audio and visual programs that could distribute their materials to a wider audience. I do hope that they may find the additional financial resources to make their dreams a reality.
Dr. Joseph Brennan, Ph. D., M. Div., M. S. W.

I am so honored to be a member of The Salaam Network (TSN) which is a great nonprofit organization in Louisville. TSN as an educational network works hard to bring all people of Louisville together based on knowledge and truth. Education is a main key to disputing Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and ethnic/religious prejudice of any kind. TSN has been offered many presentations at local mosques, churches, and synagogues which have always been very informative. During the Pandemic while all people around the world have been involved, The Salaam Network has followed its mission by offering different programs virtually at Zoom. Just in 2021 and 2022, TSN has offered the total of 38 programs virtually, including Interfaith Study Groups, Distinguished Guest lecture Series, lectures and Interviews and more.
Definitely, The Salaam Network needs all support to continue its mission.

Dr. Fariba Nowrouzi Kashan,
Math Faculty at Kentucky State University

As a member of All Peoples, a progressive Unitarian-Universalist Congregation in the Louisville community, I have been given the opportunity to learn truthful information about Islam and its commonalities with the other major religions, Christianity and Judasim. This year in 2022 our Congregation voted overwhelmingly to include Islam along with Christianity and Judaism as part of our Sources of Unitarian Universalist Inspiration.
The Salaam Network’s values and mission to educate our community aligns with mine to enhance my understanding of how diversity enriches our local community.
I'm happy to add my voice to support this cause
- Gary Guss

The Salaam Network is a tremendous source of outreach and engagement in our Louisville community. The presentations at local mosques, churches, and synagogues have always been well received. Education is the key to countering Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and ethnic/religious bigotry of any kind. It is however unfortunate that such discriminatory attitudes have been on the rise globally for some time now. The Salaam Network has indeed attempted to meet such challenges by offering educational opportunities, workshops, public lectures, and so forth. They provide a vital service to our community.

Dr. Bradley Bowman
Director of Middle East & Islamic Studies
University of Louisville

I became been a core member of The Salaam Network shortly after it started five years ago, after attending a presentation at St. Andrew United Church of Christ. This interfaith panel was on “Inheriting Abraham: One Ancestral Family: Three Faiths: An exploration of the legacy of Abrahamic tradition in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.” I have attended almost every program and presentation of The Salaam Network.

I have learned a great deal about Islam and the commonalities among the three Abrahamic religions. I have taken part in its educational programs on women’s issues and LGBTQ matters and found them to be very helpful and educational. As a gay man I had particularly interest in the presentations by Jewish, Christian and Muslim scholars explaining the correct interpretation of the sacred texts of their traditions relating to LGBTQ persons. What I have learned from The Salaam Network’s programs has benefited me greatly, not only intellectually but also existentially.

Since the start of the pandemic when in-person meetings could not be held, The Salaam Network began a bi-monthly Book-Movie Club/Interfaith Study Group in which we discussed significant books and movies on Islam and listened to and interacted with distinguished presenters on various aspects of interfaith dialogue. It has been a very enriching and enlightening experience. I am writing this letter to re-affirm my strong support for The Salaam Network which has made a real difference in my life and in the larger community.

Lane Stumler

I first heard the name, Dr. Riffat Hassan from a former colleague, a Professor of Religion at Eastern Kentucky University. It was soon after my arrival as Chairperson of the Department of Special Education at E.K.U. in the early 1980s. I often saw her name mentioned in newspapers in the context of religious dialogue. A few years later, I attended an annual conference at which Dr. Hassan was a speaker. I was overwhelmed by the depth and breadth of her knowledge, her sharp intellect, her passion, and her energy. She became my mentor. I kept up with her through her professional writings and presentations at professional conferences. Over the years we developed a personal friendship.
About four years ago, a student in my department who was from Louisville, told me that she had attended meetings of The Salam Network. Every weekend she went home to be with her parents. Every Monday this student would come to my office and tell me about the latest Salam meeting with great excitement. I was very happy to see my undergraduate student enthused about what she learned over the weekend. It was heart warming to see Salam’s impact on this young student.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had one positive impact on me. I have been able to participate in Salam’s meetings and discussions through Zoom. I have been actively involved with the Christian Muslim Dialogue in Lexington for more than two decades and I have served on its Steering Committee for years. It was not until the Salam Network’s recent discussion titled “10 Principles of a Dialogue” that clarified my thinking on the subject. The Salam Network is rich in its diverse topics of discussion and in its human resources of discussion leaders. The leadership of The Salam Network is noticeably scholarly, intellectual seekers of truth. The Network keeps its subscribers continuously engaged and informed with such materials as copies of articles, books, videos, scholarly papers, etc.
I thank The Salam Network for serving humanity by developing a fact-based understanding of “the other.” Finally, I congratulate Network organizers for making presentations available to a wide audience via Zoom.

The Salaam Network, of which I have been a guest for the past year, is made up of hardworking, intelligent, compassionate people. Their mission is to enlighten the community on the true beliefs of Islam as grounded in the Quran. This mission was advanced in our meetings through books we read and movies we viewed about Muhammad. Also, speakers of national and international renown with whom the director, Dr. Riffat Hassan, had collaborated spoke at various meetings on inter-faith topics. There was much discussion on effective means of dispelling the harms of Islamophobia in our community. Gatherings had been held in churches, mosques, schools and halls for the accomplishment of this purpose. I was pleased I attended these meetings as I began to learn about the Islam faith and its parallels to the other two Abrahamic religiions.

As a member of All Peoples, a progressive Unitarian-Universalist congregation in the Louisville community, I have been given the opportunity to learn truthful information about Islam and its commonalities with the other major religions, Christianity and Judasim. The Salaam Network’s values and mission to educate our community aligns with mine to enhance my understanding of how diversity enriches our local community.
It's important for The Salaam Network to continue its efforts to educate peacefully to bring our community closer together. I am indebted to the members of this group in widening my circle of understanding.

At this time, more than ever before, we need to bring people together regardless of their beliefs to establish peace and justice in our community. I am a Muslim woman with a Ph. D in Applied Mathematics from the University of Louisville. Currently, I am a faculty member at Kentucky State University. Aside from my professional work, I have also been a leader and facilitator of Islamic education for the local Iranian community (youth and adult) for almost twenty years. Over the past several years, I have been pleased to be involved with The Salaam Network and work as one of its core members.
Islamophobia is one of the largest problems that divides our nation and communities. The best solution for this problem is educate people (Muslim and non-Muslim) about Islam based on the holy book Qur’an and the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) without any prejudgments and from multiple perspectives. TSN has been extremely effective in spreading awareness regarding Islamophobia in Kentucky and abroad by offering free education classes. TSN outreach has offered many discussions groups, student panels, lectures, and workshops at venues of various religious followings and academic settings.
We all know that in 2020 our country is divided worse than ever. The Salaam Network organization take a responsibility to educate people about politics, their rights, and their power. The Salaam Network has facilitated many panel presentations in different locations as follow:
PANEL-PRESENTATION ON SB-1 AND HB51 (ANTI-IMMIGRATION BILLS) by Immigration Attorneys and Social Justice Advocates, on February 10, 2020, at the Douglass Boulevard Christian Church
PANEL-PRESENTATION ON SB-1 AND HB51 (ANTI-IMMIGRATION BILLS) by Immigration Attorneys and Social Justice Advocates, on March 10, 2020, at the Highland Baptist Church
PANEL-PRESENTATION ON SB1 AND HB51 (ANTI – IMMIGRATION BILLS) by Immigration Attorneys and Social Justice Advocates, on FEBRUARY 3, 2020, at the Guiding Light Islamic Center
PANEL-PRESENTATION ON SB-1 AND HB51 (ANTI-IMMIGRATION BILLS) by Immigration Attorneys and Social Justice Advocates, on February 25, 2020, at the Douglass Boulevard Christian Church

As a result, I personally have been in Frankfort, Kentucky to meet some our presentative and talked to them for the first time.

During this pandemic time, Covid-19, TSN has followed her mission by offering the classes and presentations online through Zoom. All activities of this non-profit organization has organized and listed by years in its website, https://salaamnetwork.org/programs/. It verifies that TSN’s educational mission has advanced in various ways over time since its start in 2016. Its programs have provided free education not only about Islam, but have also highlighted the common values among different beliefs, especially amongst the three Abrahamic religions.

TSN has worked very hard since its inception to contribute toward building a culture of knowledge and dialogue in our city. It is working hard to bring harmony to our diverse community, making Louisville truly a “City of Compassion” with a high level of understanding and respect, for all the individual and groups that live in it in an atmosphere of equality and equity.
I believe that The Salaam Network is a Top Rated organization and it deserves to be recognized.

Dr. Fariba Nowrouzi Kashan
October 28, 2020

I am writing on behalf of The Salaam Network (TSN). As an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, I have been seeking an organization that separates Islam from terrorist pretenders. Having worked in Indonesia among Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus, I knew Muslims were a part of a faith that emphasizes peace and care for others.

I have organized three 6-week sessions for The Veritas Society on the campus of Bellarmine University. (Veritas is a non=credit educational program for adults over 54). Our first course was "Islam: One Branch of the Abrahamic Faith Tradition." Other offerings included: the Golden Age of Islam, Islam's role in the European Renaissance, Islamic Visual Arts, and Muslim Core Beliefs. I also presented a lecture on "Islam and Democracy in Indonesia". In 2018, we offered "The Abrahamic Faith Traditions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam." This course explored the commonality and diversity among our 3 faith traditions. One class focused on the stories of Mary, mother of Jesus, in the Qur'an and the New Testament.

In the spring of 2020, our Veritas program focused: "Judaism, Christianity and Islam: Confrontations with Modernity." This course scheduled six weeks on the issues of (1) the rise of women in leadership and (2)the LGBTQIA communities. Our question: How can our traditional faiths support the realities of the modern world? Two classes met at the University; during the Covid-19 quarantine, we met via ZOOM.

The Salaam Network has offered programs in Christian churches, Mosques, Synagogues, the Universities of Bellarmine and Louisville, public library branches, Universalist Unitarian and Catholic and Buddhist Centers. Speakers and discussion leaders come from Conservative and Reformed Jewish traditions, Protestant and Catholic Christian traditions, and from leaders in several Muslim organizations. Our classes are given the largest available rooms, but several would-be participants have been turned away because our rooms were not large enough to accommodate all. We have been asked to offer a 4th course in 2021. Because ZOOM will be used, everyone will be accommodated.

TSN has accomplished much to help people celebrate the unity and diversity of the Abrahamic faith traditions. Louisville is fortunate to have The Salaam Network in our midst.

During 2016, in response to a rise in the number of attacks on mosques, Muslim-owned businesses and Muslim students, a group of interfaith persons gathered at the Drepung Gomang Buddhist Center in the St. Matthew area of Louisville, Kentucky. Initiators of the gathering were Dr. Riffat Hassan (Professor Emerita, University of Louisville) and Mr. Merza Aslam Beg. Attendees included Muslims, Buddhists, Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Universalists, Orthodox and agnostics. I attended as an ordained Minister of the United Church of Christ (retired).

The focus was determined to be "building bridges of understanding and harmony from a knowledge-based foundation." Human resources would include academic scholars, religious leaders, and volunteers at each venue.

In 2017, my first effort included a 6-week program at St. Andrew United Church of Christ: "Inheriting Abraham: One Ancestral Family -- Three Faiths." This initial offering explored the legacy of Abrahamic Tradition in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. By the 5th week, we had 98 attentive attendees.

During the next 3 years, the Salaam Network sponsored numerous educational programs at venues across Louisville, KY. I facilitated in some way the following:
Understanding Islam -- 6 part/2hour sessions
The Middle Ages -- not Dark but Golden
Challenges for Women: Enduring Wisdom from Jewish, Christian and Islamic Traditions
Calligraphy: A Supreme Art Form in Islamic Culture
The Sacred Rite of Fasting
Encountering Mary in Catholicism and Islam
Social Justice Issues/Priorities Among Jewish, Christian, Islamic Faith Traditions
Islam and Democracy in Indonesia

Because TSN endeavors to meet as many diverse people as possible, the Board agrees to charge nothing for their presentations. Our success and popularity have increased our need for technology (website design and management,) stipends for presentors, office space, and a part-time office worker.

The need for educational programs available to all is monumental. Willing presenters are available. The burden of management has become a challenge. Volunteers are limited, especially during COVID-19. Financial resources are scarce.

Without reservation I request that The Salaam Network of Louisville, Kentucky, be included in the Great Non-Profits Organization. Rev Diane Snowa

As a member of the lgbtq community, I have often been marginalized and made to feel “less than”. It has been extremely painful to face prejudice not only from within my own religious community but from my immediate family members as well . Having grown up in a traditional Muslim household it was a struggle for me to reconcile my life choices with (what I then believed to be) the normative teachings of Islam. My partner, coming from a similar background as a Christian, faced similar issues.

A friend, who was part of my meditation circle, recommended I attend a multi cultural, interfaith event by the Salaam network. I was skeptical to say the least but her recommendation was strong so my partner and I both attended. The topic of discussion the first time we attended was not related directly to our concerns or questions but it was deeply engaging. However, the aspect which most moved us was an artistic presentation made at the very end, in which a short film was shown highlighting the diversity of Louisville. It featured ppl of all races, colors, creeds, orientations. It was a message of universal love and acceptance.

For the first time my partner and I felt seen, heard and respected, knowing we were among ppl who were truly interested in celebrating the human experience.

Since 2017 we have attended several workshops and programs by the salaam network and have had the chance to speak with highly qualified scholars from both Christian and Muslim faiths. So many of our questions have been answered openly, honestly and without stigma or judgement. Most importantly, through the educational programs offered, I became equipped with the knowledge necessary to make peace with the inner conflict which was tormenting me. I learned the difference between cultural practices and genuine religious teachings. And it has made all the difference.

Ever since seminary I have been in search of an organization which presented a greater understanding between major world religions. My hope was that commonalities could be identified and a platform to engage in meaningful dialogue could be created. I attended well over 50 programs of various organizations in the tri-state area. However, each time I walked away disillusioned because the majority of speakers were not experts in their field and lacked the capacity to represent even their own religion. I had nearly given up, when I came across a program by the salaam network. Admittedly I attended expecting much the same as I had already experienced. I was most pleasantly surprised! The speakers were from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim faiths and clearly scholars in their respective fields. I think I learned more in that one evening then I had throughout my earlier journey.
I have since attended nearly 20 programs and each one has felt like coming home. Brilliant scholarship, thought provoking programs and a platform for those interested in interfaith dialogue to voice their questions, concerns and share their ideas.
I cannot recommend this wonderful organization enough!

I have been in attendance of several Salaam
Network events and have found them to be the perfect bridge building resource currently needed in our society. The programs created by this network are unique in many ways and meant to foster understanding between people of different faiths and create an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding. Something we desperately need to support! I highly recommend the work the Salaam network is doing and am so grateful they have found a way too keep moving forward virtually despite the limitations placed on all of us by Covid.

Salaam Network is an amazing group of wonderful volunteers, led by DR. Riffat Hassan.
they have done tremendous work in our community and Louisville is a better place because of them!
they are inclusive, thoughtful, and think out of the box in the activities they organize,
they are a wonderful addition to our city!
rabbi David

The work that The Salaam Network (TSN) has done in our community since its start in 2016 is outstanding. It defines itself as an education network and its members include highly-respected scholars, artists, writers, and peace-and-justice activists. Its goal is to develop a culture of knowledge through its fact-based programs on a number of subjects which have relevance for us today.

TSN has done a large number of presentations on the three Abrahamic faiths - Judaism, Christianity and Islam, highlighting the commonalities among Jews, Christians and Muslims. It has also done programs on a number of significant contemporary issues such as Islamophobia, women-related issues, matters relating to the LGBTQ community, and immigration policies and laws which impact the vast diversity of immigrants in Louisville.

TSN has conducted its activities in a variety of venues including churches, mosques, Jewish places of worship, the Tibetan Buddhist Drepung Gomang Center for Engaging Compassion, universities, libraries, and community centers. It has built a reputation for presenting quality
programs which offer information that can be trusted. Its motto is to make the Beloved Community of Louisville whole.

TSN consists of volunteers who donate a lot of their time and expertise to bring about better
understanding and relations amongst Louisville’s diverse communities. All its programs are
presented free of charge. If it had financial resources it could extend its outreach widely and
broaden its offerings. I strongly support TSN’s valuable work in bridge-building and peace-making, and wish it all success in future endeavors.

As an attorney and academic who has participated as both a speaker and moderator for Salaam Network events, I have been particularly impressed by its outstanding achievements as an educational movement. The Network not only promotes tolerance, understanding and open dialogue amongst different cultural and faith traditions in our community, it also presents unique programs featuring distinguished scholars speaking about their work. In these presentations there is a particularly strong emphasis on reinstating the role of women and women’s rights in faith traditions. I personally have spoken at Network events about my participation in two delegations which visited Pakistan, Bangladesh and India to promote understanding between the United States and the Muslim world. These delegations were part of an exchange program created by Dr. Raffat Hassan under the auspices of a grant from the State Department. The Network provided me with a forum to share with a diverse audience my experiences on these trips, a highlight of which was visiting a school for girls in a remote village in Pakistan where the students are encouraged to learn about the importance of universal human rights. As a moderator at Salaam Network events, I’ve had the privilege of meeting and listening to specialists in so many fields, including theology, history, sociology, political science and art. The Salaam Network is a such great resource for our community and provides an unparalleled forum where scholarship and activism can meet.

Drs. Edwin S. Segal & Marcia Texler Segal Louisville, KY
It has been gratifying to work with The Salaam Network (TSN) toward the goal of promoting unity within the Greater Louisville community through education and outreach. TSN fosters understanding and challenges ignorance, prejudice and animosity toward marginalized faiths and groups. To meet growing concerns about the prevalence of Islamophobia we became members of a core group of educators, clergy and activists representing the three Abrahamic faiths who joined together to develop a series of programs to be presented in religious, educational and secular venues.
Louisville is a religiously and ethnically diverse community. Every major religious faith is represented by long-time residents and newer immigrants. We are officially a Compassionate Community, appreciative of diversity and welcoming to newcomers. Nevertheless, there is a tendency for groups to be isolated. Knowledge can begin to break down this isolation on both interpersonal and policy levels. The self-image of our city as one that strives for wholeness provides an opportunity for type of outreach that shapes the TSN mission.
This has been an especially challenging year for the work of TSN. The pandemic caught us in the middle of our adult education series at a local university in March; we completed our classes via Zoom, a relatively new experience for some of us and some of our audience, in August. Racial justice protests here in Louisville and around the country turned our attention from broader education about our faith communities to how those communities are responding to the call for social justice. We have published words of support and we have a four-week series of programs about to launch; again on Zoom. One of the strengths of TSN is its ability to adapt and respond to pressing needs.
As TSN core members and presenters we have drawn upon our academic backgrounds in sociology and anthropology including focuses on gender, diversity and religion, our extensive international experience as well as our grounding in Judaism, our own religious tradition. We have both learned an immeasurable amount from those we have worked with in TSN. We have become better prepared to work toward wholeness and have seen how effective TSN outreach has been. The questions participants in our programs ask have become more focused and nuanced. Members of the wider community and of our own congregation who have attended our programs and are not only eager for more, but also tell us that they have shared what they have learned and want to know when and where the next offering will be so they can encourage others to attend.
TSN is justifiably proud of the work it has done and continues to do.
Edwin S. Segal, PhD Professor of Anthropology Emeritus, University of Louisville Board Member Congregation Adath Jeshurun, Faculty Member Louisville Florence Melton Adult Mini-School
Marcia Texler Segal, PhD Professor of Sociology & Dean for Research Emerita, Indiana University Southeast Co-Editor, Advances in Gender Research, Faculty Member Louisville Florence Melton Adult Mini-School

October 25, 2020

This is to communicate our appreciation for the hugely important work currently being performed by The Salam Network in support of religious and cultural education within the greater Louisville Community.

We are Chairpersons of the Adult Religious Exploration (ARE) Committee for our church. The central purpose of our committee is to support and inform the adults in our community by developing and offering inclusive and meaningful educational and religious exploration experiences. Our Committee’s hopes and dreams are to expand our reach to more community members beyond our congregation. We support a growing community of lifelong learners who will live within a world of diverse cultures, respect those cultures, and know that we are each lovable beings of infinite worth.

Living in a predominantly Christian nation, it is essential that members of the Louisville community become more knowledgeable and sophisticated as it concerns the culture, thinking, and interests of others in the world, including members of the Muslim faith. The misinformation that exists regarding that faith is a hindrance to us all. Twice a year the ARE Committee offers weekly classes of up to eight weeks in length. During our Fall 2019 Open Campus program, the Salam Network collaborated with two of our members to develop and present an 8-week class focused on the "Contributions of Islam to World Civilization." The class was diverse in scope, engaging, well organized, and well presented. It was an ambitious undertaking; it involved a relatively large number of facilitators who shared a huge amount of information. The subject matter was important and highly relevant to today's events. The feedback we received regarding the class has been consistently very positive.

Nurturing interfaith relations and connecting with members outside our congregation are important goals for us. We so appreciate the participation of members of the Salaam Network in our educational program, and we so value their interfaith work in the greater Louisville community. The Salam Network is composed of compassionate communicators and bridge builders. The leadership they provide within interfaith relations and the knowledge/understanding they impart to others regarding the Muslim faith makes our entire community safer, closer, and healthier. Our greater community is clearly better positioned for the future because the Salaam Network is a part of who we are.

We firmly support recognizing the Network’s efforts and accomplishments and providing support to their goals and activities.

Alan Godsave & Marilyn Snyder
Co-Chairpersons, ARE Committee
Thomas Jefferson UU Church

We are and 18 year old non profit organization that has had the pleasure to work with the well qualified scholars and teachers associated with The Salaam Network (TSN) in our common goal of assisting the community to dispel fears by providing educational opportunities and knowledge about various religious and cultural groups. I believe that over the past three years TSN has brought tremendous opportunities for much healing of wounds caused by misinformation and lack of quality programs open to the community at large.

The Salaam Network programs have provided respectful opportunities for those seeking to understand Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Indigenous and other belief systems to do so without fear. In doing so, TSN has brought people together from many paths to honor differences and celebrate the many similarities.

The Highly Enlightening Salaam Network Series: LGBTQ People in God’s Promise was a bold and responsible effort to dispel with painful, incorrect theological arguments that have been cast against the LGBTQ communities which caused considerable harm. This Series has provided the opportunity for attendees to heal wounds, ask questions, and be invited into the community with a new view of their place as equals.

The Salaam Network offers quality programs and does so with much integrity.

Respectfully,

Rev. Cynthia Jo (C. J.) Wright, CTR, CTSS, CCISM
Executive Director
Rainbow Spiritual Education Center, Inc.
https://rseci.org
rainbowseci@gmail.com

I am the pastor of St. Andrew United Church of Christ and I am writing to tell you that my congregation and I began a wonderful relationship with The Salaam Network a couple of years ago. We are most impressed with the way that they are serving our local community through engaging and educational programs. I believe they are finding many creative solutions to addressing the fear and misunderstandings that exist in our society between the different religions, especially the discrimination that is prevalent against the Muslim community.
Louisville is a city with many diverse people from different religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds. It also has many religious institutions (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and others) but there is much need for bridge-building amongst them. The Salaam Network (TSN) is a group of interfaith educators, artists, peacemakers and justice activists who are committed to building a knowledge-based foundation for promoting understanding, amity and wholeness in our city. Since its founding in 2016, the Salaam Network has made a large number of presentations especially on the three Abrahamic traditions at religious as well as educational venues. Many of those presentations were at my church, St. Andrew United Church of Christ. I experienced so much joy when I was able to see Christians, Jews and Muslims gathered together in our church’s sanctuary for learning, discussion and later to share a meal. As a result of the educational programs at our church, one of the local Islamic centers invited my congregation and me to a meal during Ramadan and many of us did in fact attend.

The presentations by The Salaam Network have been made by highly-credentialed scholars who have endeavored to demonstrate that the values that lie at the core of our religious faiths -love, mercy, compassion, justice - can enable us to overcome divisiveness, bigotry and discrimination in our community. They are a small organization with very limited financial resources but they have been making a significant contribution to Louisville.

Educating the community about the “Other” (those who are seen as different, or even as enemies), as well as about issues relating to vulnerable groups such as Women and LGBTQ, is critically important at this time in our history. I would like to see the Salaam Network receive the grant so that they can expand their work and make what they are doing available to many more people through multi-media dissemination.

Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,


Rev. Lori Miller-Price

I am writing to commend the work of the Salaam Network which increases education and awareness of the Islamic religion. I work as a librarian serving a population so diverse as to include over 136 languages in our public school system.

One of our largest populations is the Islamic ummah. This diverse population includes families of many backgrounds – professionals, the working poor, those from urban areas to those from rural camps. As neighborhoods rapidly begin to change and schools and work places have seen an increase in the Muslim population many questions arise. Most people growing up in Kentucky haven’t had much exposure to Islam nor had an experience learning about Islamic civilizations and contributions from math, science to the arts. We pride ourselves in being a city of “ Compassion” as part of the Karen Armstrong initiative and this past year we were deemed a “ Welcoming City” .

Salaam Network stepped in to educate a general public in both religious institutions and in our public library system about a range of topics from an interfaith panel entitled Women in Four Traditions : Journey Towards Wholeness to a month long series addressing terrorism. For many born in KY there is a large gap in our world history. Many of us were taught of stagnant times during the Middle Ages, never learning of the flourishing civilizations of nations and communities outside of Europe. Supplementing this “mis-education” is not only a benefit to KY born non –Muslims but to Muslim children and youth as well. Ensuring that young Muslims truly learn the theological foundation to their religion as well as historical accomplishments in philosophy and the sciences. Growing young immigrants confronted with the complexities of identity and adolescences are behooved to be privy to mixed audiences taking pride in the accomplishments of a diverse and rich history.

Through the Salaam Network , Dr. Hassan has gathered a core group of presenters with years of knowledge and life experience between them. They have then matched their area of expertise to any given audience. The library was invited to table events that were hosted outside of our institutions. Through this partnership we were able to network and connect with community leaders of many different backgrounds. Not only were the presentations informative but these relationships created and nurtured have been a true asset to our city.

We appreciate the opportunity to have partnered with the Salaam Network and look forward to their continued growth and service to interfaith dialog and community building in a time when civil discourse and education about one another is truly vital to the growth of our democracy.

To whom it may concern,

This letter, on behalf of Guiding Light Islamic
Center, is to express our highest esteem held for The
Salaam Network in Louisville, KY. We have had the
great pleasure and privilege in hosting events together
with TSN including, but not limited to, dialogues about
Christian-Islamic interactions in late antiquity and
medieval Andalucia with Professors Brad Bowman
and Greg Hutcheson from the University of Louisville.
Our collaboration has helped enrich the local
community's sensibilities for cooperation between
multiple faith congregations in both an educational
and social sense.

Sincerely,

Hamza Foy
Board Member at Guiding Light Islamic Center

Interfaith dialogue is a critical component of civic and stability, both national and international. As a professor of Islamic Studies at the University of Louisville, I strongly believe the interfaith discourse promoted by The Salaam Network (TSN) is an excellent way to advance mutual understanding in the city that has become my home. Over the course of several years collaborating with this organization, I have witnessed the positive and meaningful relationships forged between various religious groups across Louisville. Here I would like to extend my gratitude towards Dr. Hassan who has been tirelessly educating the Louisville community over several decades, first as a professor and now as a public speaker on the "religious other" for TSN. Under her rigorous leadership, TSN has brought together academics, advocates, organizers, and other members of the public by providing a stable forum for scholarly and thought-provoking presentations aimed at ending monopoly on truths, disrupting hegemonic interpretations of God, and pushing back against forced assimilation into dominant religious movements. I have been honored to collaborate with the network as a core member who has delivered several talks--well attended by a variety of people--on the subject of Women’s rights in Islam. Based on my personal experience, it is clear that the Salaam Network has greatly advanced an authentic interfaith dialogue at the religious as well as at the civic level.

Maryam Moazzen
Associate Professor of Islamic Studies
University of Louisville

The work that The Salaam Network does has never been more important than it is now as the United States, along with much of the rest of the world, shifts toward right-wing extremism, nationalism, and demagoguery. Putting people together that wouldn’t normally interface with one another for the express purpose of listening to and learning about each other goes a long way toward dispelling prejudices and opening hearts and minds to those who are different from us. Building and fostering a broad grassroots community among people from all different faiths and backgrounds may very well be the most effective resource we have against the ignorance, fear, and hatred that are driving so many dangerous trends around the world.
When it comes to educating people about and exposing them to Muslims and Islamic thought and culture, TSN is serving a need to that has not been filled elsewhere in the community. Between the Muslim ban and the decades of negative imagery and stereotyping, the fear of “the other” and its accompanying discrimination has been especially harsh on this group.
Finally, I’d add that TSN has done much of the requisite hard work that is at the foundation of any successful movement for change: we’ve already built a formidable and diverse network of thoughtful people. As such, TSN is well-positioned to leverage its existing network for further community action.

I write to strongly endorse The Salaam Network in Louisville, Kentucky for the Atlantic Renewal Award. This nonprofit organization has worked to counter the destructive power of Islamophobia through interfaith discussions and education programs throughout our city.

While its first programs focused on educating people about Islam and the sources of Islamophobia, its founder, Dr. Riffat Hassan, soon recognized that we could have a broader impact by adding interfaith programs centered on the Abrahamic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Programs on Islamophobia included presentations by scholars of Islam as well as Muslim university students who had experienced harassment because they are Muslims. Interfaith presentations held at numerous churches, educational venues, and community centers covered basic beliefs, history, culture, the position of women, and art. Audiences especially responded to examples of interfaith cooperation in earlier history as providing grounding for present-day interactions.

Because I have participated in interfaith discussions both here and overseas (including Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, sponsored by the U.S. State Department), I recognize their value in changing understandings and removing prejudices. Breaking through polarizations and pre-judgments is challenging but necessary to reduce harassment and violence toward people seen as “other”.

Louisville calls itself a city of compassion; yet it, like other cities, has experienced acts of hatred against Muslim and Jewish places of worship. The Salaam Network plays a crucial role in countering this hatred and furthering understanding and compassion among Louisville’s diverse population.

I encourage your support of this creative endeavor as the Salaam Network works to broaden its impact through multi-media programs. These will be available to many more groups in Louisville. Given the many demands on scholars’ time, scheduling programs is often difficult. Using diverse media, the presentations can be made once and then disseminated widely.

I hope that you will find The Salaam Network a fitting recipient of the Atlantic Renewal Award.

Sincerely,


Mary Ann Stenger
Professor Emerita, Humanities (Religious Studies)
University of Louisville

My name is Dr. Derek Penwell and I am the Senior Pastor of Douglass Blvd. Christian Church, as well as a lecturer of Religious Studies in the Comparative Humanities Department at the University of Louisville. I am also a board member of the Kentucky Refugee Ministries.

I am writing in support of the work of The Salaam Network. Louisville has designated itself a “Compassionate City.” As such, our community has demonstrated a desire and commitment to working toward religious inclusion. One of the primary foci has been to challenge religious stereotypes—in particular those that further marginalize the thriving Muslim community in our city. The Salaam Network has been a leader in offering varied educational opportunities, led by experts in their fields. These educational opportunities shine a light on how Islam has historically had a positive impact on the religious and cultural landscape. I have been a presenter and a panelist in two TSN offerings: Prophet Abraham and His Legacy—Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Perspectives and Women in Four Spiritual Traditions:Further Along in the Journey To Wholeness.

The work of TSN is crucial in our endeavor to see the realization of mutual respect between all people. TSN brings people of diverse religious and non-religious backgrounds together, under the assumption that our capacity for empathy and understanding is increased as we spend time with one another, learning about the lives and traditions of people who are different from us. Our moral imaginations expand as we begin to see one another as potential friends and partners, instead of as threats or competitors.

I cannot recommend the work of TSN highly enough as a critical component in making Louisville a model of religious affirmation and support, a truly compassionate city.

Times of crisis bring out the best and the worst in us, and in trying times our true character shines for all the world to see. The Salaam Network was birthed in just such times. In the face of a rising tide of divisive rhetoric and anti Islamic ideology in the U. S. and beyond, that challenged the fundamental vision of tolerance, respect for religious plurality and cultural diversity, Riffat Hassan brought together a number of scholars and religious leaders. Through thoughtful and scholarly presentations in houses of worship and classrooms the Salaam Network has sown seeds of understanding and offered opportunities for dialogue and mutual appreciation between disparate religious groups across Louisville. I have been privileged to collaborate by making connections with Roman Catholic communities and institutions. From my personal experience it is clear that the Salaam Network has greatly enriched and changed the face of our local community.

We live with an abundance of information available to learn about other cultures, religions, and peoples, however, our challenge becomes filtering through all that comes at us—some of it ill-informed, some of it quality journalism—so that we may learn and grow to become a more compassionate community and world. The Salaam Network, composed of excellent scholars and community religious and lay leaders, in Louisville, Kentucky, is creatively working to share open, honest, and accurate information about Islam and our Muslim neighbors to create friendships and partnerships to overcome the problem of Islamophobia.

There are 25 mosques in Louisville and five synagogues, and hundreds of churches. It is vital for there to be events to meet and mix with peoples of Abrahamic and other faith traditions. The Salaam Network creates pop-up spaces for cultural understanding and dialogue at universities, public libraries, and varied religious institutions. These events bring us together in an intentional, proactive way.

As a college educator, I want quality resources, and experiences about different cultures and religions to exist in our community for student and lifelong learning. As a spiritual person, I am interested in building understanding and creating connections between different religions, in a step towards world peace. The Salaam Network has given me, and hundreds of others in our community, opportunities to for both. In 2018, I represented the Jewish faith for "Women in Four Spiritual Traditions: Further Along the Journey to Wholeness," where our panel engaged one another and our audience in authentic dialogue about our respective faiths and cultures.

As Louisville strives to become known as a compassionate city, the work of the Salaam Network is essential.

Melanie E. Hughes
Librarian, Coordinator of Automation and Technical Services
Library Liaison to the School of Education and Center for Cultural Resources
Indiana University Southeast Library

Kenneth A. Stammerman


I have been familiar with the work of the organizers of the Salaam Network, especially Dr. Rifaat Hassan, for some years since returning to Louisville after my U.S. Foreign Service career, much of which was spent in the Muslim world or in Washington dealing with issues involving Muslim countries of the Middle East. I was pleasantly surprised to find the work being done then by Dr. Rifaat and her friends in welcoming delegations from Muslim countries to Louisville under the auspices of the Visitors Programs of the U.S. State Department. As one of the organizers of such delegations when I was in the Foreign Service, it was great to find that, thanks to their work, Louisville was a prime destination for delegation visits, and the University was a center of promoting excellent Muslim-community relations both here and abroad.

Moving forward, Dr. Rifaat and many of these same activists formed the core group of The Salaam Network, which became active in local and regional responses to the unfortunate increase in recent times in misinformation and outright prejudice against our fellow Muslim citizens and immigrant communities in the area. Its speaker programs brought to the public prominent members of the community from various backgrounds, not only Muslims but also presenters with strong involvements in Louisville’s faith and civic communities. They put together presentations not only to specific community groups but also entire semester programs in Continuing Education at the university level. The Network’s role in arranging cultural and religious programs at local mosques with invitations to non-Muslims has lifted many cultural barriers in our community.

One welcome recent focus in dealing with so much misunderstanding of Muslim culture has been the Network’s programs with Dr. Rifaat on Feminism in Islam. Also, exploring the issues of gender equality and the rights of LGBTQ individuals has made The Salaam Network a unique local voice for compassion and tolerance. We like to think of our town as a compassionate city, and The Salaam Network’s efforts towards that goal have been outstanding.

I have admired Dr. Riffat Hassan as an educator since my days as a student at U of L. I consider myself very fortunate to have studied humanities under her mentorship. Her style of teaching was powerful, interactive and unique.
Having moved back to Louisville from New York after nearly 15 years I was overjoyed to discover that Dr. Hassan was still thinking outside the box with her initiative with the Salaam Network. I have attended several of the programs in the past two years with a special interest in all the programs which have focused on interfaith dialogue and understanding. I have been blown away by the many exceptional presenters. Given the growing need we have for peace, tolerance and education I think the work Salaam Network is doing is exceptional. What a resource for Louisville!

Amy O'Koon

The Salaam Network has provided a wonderful opportunity for community engagement on important social and religious matters. As a professor of Islamic Studies, I am aware of just how much need there is for public spaces where people can engage in informed discussions about Islam, the Middle East, and religion in our world today. This is something that we can provide in the university setting, but most community members are not able to take college classes on these topics. The Salaam Network helps fill that gap and bridge the cultural divide between the academy and the public.

The programs at The Salaam Network have been well attended by a variety of people. I often encourage my students to attend the Network events and I always look forward to see what future programs they are planning. They have become a valuable resource to the area around Louisville. Their work is urgently needed in the social and political context in which we live today. We all want to live in more open and educated communities; The Salaam Network is helping to build those communities.

Matthew Pierce
Associate Professor of Religion
Centre College
Danville, KY

BARBARA J. WOOLLEY MSW

I was present at the Drepung Gomang Center for Engaging Compassion, when the first meeting of about 150 persons, including many religious leaders and teachers, took place on May 1, 2018. This meeting had been called by Dr. Riffat Hassan, Professor Emerita of University of Louisville, a renowned Islamic scholar who had been engaged in interreligious dialogue since the 1970s. Her reason for organizing this meeting was to initiate serious reflection on how to counter the dangerous and dramatic acceleration of Islamophobia in the U.S.

There was a general consensus among those present at the brainstorming meeting, that there was urgent need to educate the larger community about Islam and its historical, as well as ongoing, contributions to the Western World. A lesson taught both by our national, as well as global, history, is that fear is divisive and – at times – deadly, provoking people to think, speak and act in ways they might not otherwise. Fear is often rooted in ignorance. Believing in the efficacy of a sound educational approach to open hearts and minds, The Salaam Network was created to address the serious situation.

Since 2016, the dedicated team of TSN scholars, writers, artists, and justice advocates, have provided a wide array of presentations to the greater Louisville community. Many of the programs have focused on disseminating accurate knowledge about various aspects of Islam including its core beliefs and practices, its cordial relationship with Christians at the time of Prophet Muhammad, the cultural interchange among Muslims, Jews and Christians during the Middle Ages which were regarded as the “Golden Age” due to the stupendous flowering of intellectual, mystical and artistic genius in Muslim Spain. Commonalities among the three Abrahamic faiths and the wisdom of other religious traditions including the Native American, has been highlighted in a number of presentations. TSN has also made presentations which relate to the issues of women in the Jewish, Christian and Muslim traditions, and on revisiting their scriptural texts relating to LGBTQ issues.

TSN programs and panel presentations have done much to raise awareness about the need for dialogue among st our religiously and culturally diverse groups which make Louisville such a great city. TSN has contributed toward creating an open and empathetic culture where people can be real with other people, learn from one another, and begin to move together toward a harmonious and integrated community.

TSN’s past achievements are a sure sign of its potential to do so much more if it had greater financial resources. In my view, TSN should be deemed a most worthy recipient of an Atlantic Renewals Award.

Barbara J. Woolley MSW, Spiritual Teacher/Facilitator
November 26, 2019

We have been familiar with Dr. Hassan’s work in the community for over twenty years. The Salaam Network fills a unique, necessary void in our community that focuses on peace, understanding, and restoration. Louisville is the home of Muhammad Ali, The Greatest, the first celebrity Muslim, and global philanthropist. It is only fitting that The Salaam Network grew from the soil of the same city. It is our pleasure to endorse and support The Salaam Network.


After 9/11, the climate in our city changed drastically towards Muslims, as it did all over the country. Instead of innocuous curiosity about our religion, we received suspicion and distrust. It was and still is a difficult time to be a Muslim and we still suffer a bit from Islamophobic notions that have seeped into our society and into our everyday lives. The Salaam Network was formed when we needed support as individuals and our community needed healing. Recently, Felicia and I attended a series of classes called "Contributions of Islam to World Civilizations" that The Salaam Network put on at Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church. The classes were informative, timely, and lively with conversation and friendly debate. It was interesting to hear misconceptions about Islam and enlightening to listen to Dr. Hassan patiently address and dispel myths and misunderstandings. She uses exegesis to interpret the text of the Qur'an, therefore showing the audience that "common knowledge" about Islam is all wrong.


The Salaam Network is making a great impact. It helps achieve a citywide mission of being Compassionate citizens and it fulfills the Network's goal of educating people who can spread the true meaning of Islam to the world.

The Salaam Network (TSN) is the brain child of a distinguished educator and bridge-builder. Her dedicated work in interfaith understanding has been well acknowledged for many decades.
I have been affiliated with TSN as a presenter since its inception in 2016 and have seen tremendous acceptance and encouragement at various venues where TSN programs and symposia have been presented. These include various churches, libraries and mosques.
The educators, thinkers and presenters are of varied backgrounds but their core motive is to build inter- faith harmony in our age of division, walls and xenophobia.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

Introducing myself: I taught Theatre Arts at the University of Louisville for 32 years, and have been engaged in peace-making projects involving Americans and South Asian Muslims for more than two decades. I write this letter in support of The Salaam Network.


Who: The Salaam Network (TSN).


What:  To  present lectures, discussions and workshops to disseminate accurate information about Islam and the commonalities of the three Abrahamic religions, as well as critical contemporary issues such as those related to women and other vulnerable and marginalized groups.


Where:  Churches of various denominations, synagogues, mosques, universities and other educational institutions, libraries and community-based forums.


When:  There have been about one hundred educational activities since  the Fall of 2016. These are listed on the TSN website under “Programs and Presentations.”


Why:  Because the misunderstandings and problems due to what has been considered "my religion" and what has been considered "the enemy" have gotten out of control. TSN has been responding to Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination and bigotry in an intelligent and open-hearted manner.


Since its start in the summer of 2016, The Salaam Network has organized and presented educational programs which have been instructive as well as interesting to a variety of audiences. The words "theatre", "therapy" and "theology" all come from the same Greek root - "Theos". God. Isn't this what is needed in today's world? Presentations have not only educated but have entertained; they have not been exclusively for an educated elite - talks to the choir. As a result, a broad range of audiences in the Louisville area have attended.

TSN wants to go farther and wider by making its work available on the internet so that other communities may also benefit from it. Your grant will help TSN  to achieve its  goal.


Thank you,

James Tompkins, Professor Emeritus

I have been involved with The Salaam Network since its founding. It developed in a time when the U.S. began seeing ever-increasing incidents of hate crimes and islamophobia. There is no other organization in the region which has done more to root out cruel stereotypes and misinformation than The Salaam Network. Through amazing programming and educational effort, the organization has make our area a shining example of compassion, inter-religious dialog and just relationships.